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Chess champion Garry Kasparov and actress Maureen Lipman join the festival 2016 programme

Almost 200 events now available to book

Garry KasparovOne of the greatest chess players of all time and leading pro-democracy Russian campaigner Garry Kasparov is to speak at this year’s FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival.

Kasparov, pictured right, will talk about his new book on Vladimir Putin and why he believes the Russian president is a threat to democracy and world peace.

maureen LipmanMeanwhile, much-loved actress and writer Maureen Lipman, pictured left, is joined by poet Jeremy Robson and jazz singer Jacqui Dankworth for Blues in the Park, a mixture of music inspired by the jazz greats, poetry and humour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Oxford Literary Festival.

Almost 200 events have now been published on the festival website.

Recent additions to the programme include novelist, playwright and humourist Michael Frayn; renowned Spanish football writer and broadcaster Guillem Balague on his biography of Ronaldo; the former Labour spin doctor and BBC political journalist Lance Price; and historian Peter Frankopan.

Leading names previously announced include scientist Richard Dawkins, former children’s laureate Jacqueline Wilson, playwright Alan Ayckbourn, television explorer Levison Wood, philosopher A C Grayling, historian and broadcaster Simon Sebag Montefiore, and comedians David Baddiel and Julian Clary.

There will be around 250 events at this year’s festival, which takes place between Saturday, April 2, and Sunday, April 10, and the remaining ones will be added to the festival website as they are confirmed.

Events can be booked online now via this website. A walk-in and telephone box office will open at Blackwell’s Bookshop, Oxford, on February 10.

FT Weekend Title partner University of Oxford BBC World Service International radio partner Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Chêne Bleu Worcester College Worcester College: Festival college partner Italian Embassy Supporter of Italian programme Irish Embassy, London Supporters of the Irish programme MIT Press MIT Press. Sponsors of the programme of American literature and culture The Dorchester Hotels Collection Festival London hotel partner Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Head of Zeus The Macdonald Randolph Hotel The festival hotel HM Government of Gibraltar Festival green room sponsor Gibunco Group Sponsor of Gibraltar Lecture British Academy BBC Four Television Broadcast media partner Earthwatch Europe Ian and Carol Sellars Emily Rose and James Marrow Jill Dunsmore Lady Hatch Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture George Warren New College Lincoln College Lincoln College St Cross College St Cross College Jesus College St Hilda’s College 10th St Hilda's day at the festival St John’s College St John's College The Queen’s College The Queen's College Exeter College Exeter College Hertford College Keble College Keble College Oxford Brookes University The Feathers Hotel Said Business School University of Oxford Mathematical Institute Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies The Oxford Times Regional media partner BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design The Royal Society of Literature Royal Literary Fund Princeton University Press Felicity Bryan Associates University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Conference Oxford Oxford University Images Oxford University Images The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford University Press Floris of London Critchleys City Audio Visual Eynsham Hall Macdonald Bear Hotel Sloane Club Ashmolean Museum British Humanist Association The Story Museum Oxford City Council The Litmus Partnership K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography OX magazine Liaison Financial Services History of War All About History Steer Oxford Botanic Garden Wadham College Wadham College

FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival partners & sponsors

FT Weekend Title partner University of Oxford BBC World Service International radio partner Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Chêne Bleu Worcester College Worcester College: Festival college partner Italian Embassy Supporter of Italian programme Irish Embassy, London Supporters of the Irish programme MIT Press MIT Press. Sponsors of the programme of American literature and culture The Dorchester Hotels Collection Festival London hotel partner Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Head of Zeus The Macdonald Randolph Hotel The festival hotel HM Government of Gibraltar Festival green room sponsor Gibunco Group Sponsor of Gibraltar Lecture British Academy BBC Four Television Broadcast media partner Earthwatch Europe Ian and Carol Sellars Emily Rose and James Marrow Jill Dunsmore Lady Hatch Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture George Warren New College Lincoln College Lincoln College St Cross College St Cross College Jesus College St Hilda’s College 10th St Hilda's day at the festival St John’s College St John's College The Queen’s College The Queen's College Exeter College Exeter College Hertford College Keble College Keble College Oxford Brookes University The Feathers Hotel Said Business School University of Oxford Mathematical Institute Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies The Oxford Times Regional media partner BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design The Royal Society of Literature Royal Literary Fund Princeton University Press Felicity Bryan Associates University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Conference Oxford Oxford University Images Oxford University Images The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford University Press Floris of London Critchleys City Audio Visual Eynsham Hall Macdonald Bear Hotel Sloane Club Ashmolean Museum British Humanist Association The Story Museum Oxford City Council The Litmus Partnership K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography OX magazine Liaison Financial Services History of War All About History Steer Oxford Botanic Garden Wadham College Wadham College